A recent poll of the disability community shows that young people really care about politicians’ records on disability-related issues and are willing to act accordingly. This is different from what we hear in the media that young people today aren’t politically active or concerned with current events. We care about our rights; we want to make a difference and now is our chance.

A Convention is an agreement among countries to follow the same rules around an issue and can help shape how each country’s government legislates around that issue. CRPD is an agreement by all countries that ratify it to ensure that people with disabilities receive equal treatment. The language of the the Disability Treaty was inspired by that of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which protects the rights of 57 million Americans every day.

What’s happening with CRPD/Disability Treaty now?

The United States has signed the Disability Treaty but requires a 2/3 vote in the Senate in order to ratify it. Last December, the U.S. was 5 votes short of achieving ratification, but we’re not giving up. We are rallying our Senators for a hearing and for their support when it is time to vote.

What will ratification mean for you?

Ratifying the treaty would not require any changes to U.S. law nor cost any money. What it does mean is that our government and advocacy organizations will have a seat at the table in discussing global disability rights. It means that when people with disabilities choose to live, study, or travel abroad they will in the future have similar rights abroad as in the United States. Students with disabilities represent less than 4% of students that go abroad. Together, we can begin to change these numbers and share the values of independence, accessibility, and inclusion with young people with disabilities all across the globe.

Sounds great! What can I do?

Sign on to the petition below

Dear U.S. Senators:

I, as a young American, support the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD/Disability Treaty). I urge you to show your support for 57 million Americans and over one billion people with disabilities worldwide by voting YES to ratification at the next opportunity. CRPD ratification assures that people with disabilities throughout the world will enjoy the same rights as we do in the United States. Vote YES for ratification!

#ISupportCRPD I signed this petition http://bit.ly/19IskeS to show youth support #CRPD ratification now! Spread the word!

@SenatorTwitterHandle #ISupportCRPD and so do young people across America! Vote YES for #DisabilityTreaty ratification http://bit.ly/19IskeS

· Connect with others and Contact your Senator to urge for ratification. Let them know why ratification is important to you, your friends, and your community. You can even tweet to U.S. Foreign Relations Committee Chairman @SenatorMenendez and Ranking Member@SenBobCorker. Finally, be sure to check out http://disabilitytreaty.org for upcoming actions you can take!”

I want to first thank the panel, for they were the ones taking time out of their day to educate the students, who I would also like to thank. Without student interest, this event would not have been possible. Your drive to learn more about our community and the governing bodies involved which keep us safe is an important part of building a positive environment for everyone.

Finally, I want to thank the organizations who play even a minor role in making this a successful event. The Political Science and Public Justice clubs, Student Association, The Oswegonian, WTOP, the Public Justice, Political Science, and Communication departments, The Compass, Phi Sigma Sigma, Students For Global Change, The Office of Business and Community Relations, The Public Relations Office, The Point and Student Involvement, and WRVO.

The event was everything we planned and more. We were happy to see students asking important questions during the event, voicing concerns. But, the best part was watching students interact with the panel members after the event was over.

For pictures from last night check back here or on our Facebook page (facebook.com/sunyoswegocivicengagement) in the next couple of days. We hope to keep the ball rolling with more events and collaborative efforts to educate everyone in the near future, so stay tuned!

Have an idea for an event or want to collaborate? Email us at Civic@oswego.edu. We would love to hear from you.

Whether you’re for or against it, the Affordable Care Act is here. Wondering what is all means? Here’s some information and links we received in an email from our friends at Rock the Vote.

“We get it. The Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”) is confusing, and it doesn’t help that everybody and their mother has a different opinion about it. So here are the important facts you need to know:

Are you under 26? You can stay on your parents’ health insurance. No sweat!

Do you have a job? Your employer might have healthcare benefits available. Check to see if this is an option.

Are you older than 26 and do not have healthcare through work? You can now enroll at www.healthcare.gov (and at a competitive price too!).

Opting out? Starting next year, you will have to pay a penalty for not having health insurance. The penalty starts small, but will increase gradually over the next few years.

Over 19 million Americans ages 18-34 do not have health coverage. Don’t be a statistic. Enroll today and #GetCovered.

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